Product Details

• Actors: David Coleman, Agnes Letestu, Jose Martinez, Paris Opera and Ballet, Karl Paquette
• Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Tdk DVD Video
• DVD Release Date: March 16, 2004
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0001FR0MA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,530 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Winner From Paris, September 26, 2004

By 

Tony Heyes (Greater Manchester UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minkus - Paquita / Letestu, Martinez, Paquette, Wilk, Coleman, Paris Opera (DVD)

Over the past few years the National Opera de Paris has produced some stunning DVDs of ballets. This latest is a reconstruction by Pierre Lacotte of a ballet that has not been seen in its entirety for many years. Of particular interest is the extensive use of mime in the second act to carry the story along. An interview with the dancers reveals how difficult they found the adoption of silent film techniques.

However, it is the dancing which makes or mars a production and this ballet has some excellent examples of Parisian technique at its finest. Both Jose Martinez and Agnes Letestu, the principals, turn in fine performances, as does Karl Paquette as one of the villains. The children of the ballet school perform admirably too, but it is the corps who are the stars of this show. They, and the sublime but brief appearance of Emmanuel Thibault, together with the surprisingly familiar music of the three composers involved, make this a DVD worth having. If one were to buy no DVDs of ballet except those of Paris one would still have a superb collection.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delighteful, May 31, 2006

By 

Matt (RI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minkus - Paquita / Letestu, Martinez, Paquette, Wilk, Coleman, Paris Opera (DVD)

I'm not a "ballet historian" like the other reviewer, but I'm a dancer and as much a balletomane as any, and for what it's worth, I think the DVD is delightful. The dancing, and I agree with many other reviewers here, is great. If you're looking for mind-blowing technique and virtuosity, then Paris Opera Ballet isn't the right company for you--I'd suggest American Ballet Theatre, another fine company--but if you're interested in clean technique, beautiful lines, precision, and elegance, then you're going to like this DVD.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Paris Opera Ballet, February 8, 2005

By 

tulip (Fort Worth, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minkus - Paquita / Letestu, Martinez, Paquette, Wilk, Coleman, Paris Opera (DVD)

I bought this DVD just because it was performed by Paris Opera Ballet, but I was pleasantly surprised and I felt like having received an unexpected nice present. It was especially nice to see the other dancers (Letestu and Martinez) where it seems like most of their performance is dominated by DuPont and Legris (They are wonderful too). I read some ballet professional critic was writing against Paquette (not for this one but for other ballet), but I thought he expressed his role very well and his dance was dynamic and suitable. Letestu was beautiful and elegant and Martinez was the typical fairly tale prince. I really enjoyed it. I hope to see this partner in other performance too.